BC Climate: Monthly summary and long term trends

Author

Affiliation

Aseem Sharma e-mail: aseem.sharma@gov.bc.ca

Future Forest Ecosystems Centre, FCCSB, OCF, BC Ministry of Forests

1 Climate summary of year 2023

• annual average temperature was above normal by 2.15°C (spatial range: 0.42°C - 3.63°C).
• precipitation was less then normal ( upto -36%, average -18%) for most of BC except part of north-western region.
• While temperature related parameters ( mean, minimum, maximum temperature and VPD) exhibit higher then normal values, moisture related parameters (RH, soil moisture) were below normal for most of the province.

2 December-2023 climate summary

• December-2023 was on was the warmest December ever recorded in BC with 5.45°C (spatial range: 1.54°C - 10.19°C) above normal average temperature
• Most of BC experienced lower then normal precipitation in December-2023 except north-western region of BC.
• The average of previous 12 months climate parameters indicate that BC experienced substantially warmer and drier climate then normal between November 2022 and December 2023.
• The mean December 2023temperature in BC is increasing but the rate of increase is not statistically significant.

Below you find the spatial anomalies and long term trend of air temperature, vapor pressure deficit (VPD), total monthly precipitation, relative humidity (RH), and volumetric soil moisture (0 - 1m depth) for the month of December-2023.

3 Mean temperature and vapor pressure deficit (VPD)

3.1 Anomaly: December-2023

Figure 1: Anomalies in mean temperature and VPD for December 2023 relative to climate average of December 1981 - 2010.

3.2 Last 12 months anomaly: November 2022 to December 2023

Figure 2: Average anomalies in mean temperature and VPD for November 2022 to December 2023 relative to climate average of 1981 - 2010 .

3.3 Long term trends

3.3.1 Spatial trends: December 1950 - 2023

Figure 3: Spatial trends of mean temperature and VPD anomalies for December 2023 :1950 - 2023 .The black dot indicates grid cells with statistically signficnat trends. Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology

3.3.2 Time series trends: December 1950 - 2023

Figure 4: Trend in spatially averaged anomalies of mean temperature and VPD for December 2023 :1950 - 2023 . Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology

4 Precipitation, Relative Humidity (RH) and soil moisture

4.1 Anomaly: December-2023

Figure 5: Anomalies in total precipitation, relative humidity and volumetric soil mositure (0-1m) for December 2023 relative to climate average of December 1981 - 2010.

4.2 Last 12 months anomaly: November 2022 to December 2023

Figure 6: Anomalies in total precipitation, relative humidity and volumetric soil moisture (0-1m) for November 2022 to December 2023 relative to climate average of 1981 - 2010.

4.3 Long term trends

4.3.1 Spatial trends: December 1950 - 2023

Figure 7: Spatial trends of precipitation, relative humidity, and soil moisture anomalies for December 2023 :1950 - 2023 .The black dot indicates grid cells with statistically signficnat trends. Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology

Figure 8: Trend in spatially averaged anomalies of precipitation, relative humidity and soil moisture for December 2023 :1950 - 2023 . Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology

5 BC seasonal and annual climate trends

5.1 Winter

5.1.1 Mean temperature and VPD

5.1.1.1 Spatial trends

Figure 9: Spatial trends of the anomalies of mean temperature and VPD for winter:1950 - 2023 .The black dot indicates grids with significant trends. Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.1.1.2 Time-series trends

Figure 10: Trend in spatially averaged anomalies of mean temperature and VPD for winter:1950 - 2023 . Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.1.2 Precipitation, relative humidity and soil moisture

5.1.2.1 Spatial trends

Figure 11: Spatial trends of the anomalies of precipitation, relative humidity, and soil mositure for winter:1950 - 2023 .The black dot indicates grids with significant trends. Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.1.2.2 Time-series trends

Figure 12: Trend in spatially averaged anomalies of precipitation, relative humidity and soil mositure for winter:1950 - 2023 . Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.2 Spring

5.2.1 Mean temperature and VPD

5.2.1.1 Spatial trends

Figure 13: Spatial trends of the anomalies of mean temperature and VPD for spring:1950 - 2023 .The black dot indicates grids with significant trends. Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.2.1.2 Time-series trends

Figure 14: Trend in spatially averaged anomalies of mean temperature and VPD for spring:1950 - 2023 . Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.2.2 Precipitation, relative humidity and soil moisture

5.2.2.1 Spatial trends

Figure 15: Spatial trends of the anomalies of precipitation, relative humidity, and soil mositure for spring:1950 - 2023 .The black dot indicates grids with significant trends. Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.2.2.2 Time-series trends

Figure 16: Trend in spatially averaged anomalies of precipitation, relative humidity and soil mositure for spring:1950 - 2023 . Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.3 Summer

5.3.1 Mean temperature and VPD

5.3.1.1 Spatial trends

Figure 17: Spatial trends of the anomalies of mean temperature and VPD for summer:1950 - 2023 .The black dot indicates grids with significant trends. Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.3.1.2 Time-series trends

Figure 18: Trend in spatially averaged anomalies of mean temperature and VPD for summer:1950 - 2023 . Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.3.2 Precipitation, relative humidity and soil moisture

5.3.2.1 Spatial trends

Figure 19: Spatial trends of the anomalies of precipitation, relative humidity, and soil mositure for summer:1950 - 2023 .The black dot indicates grids with significant trends. Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.3.2.2 Time-series trends

Figure 20: Trend in spatially averaged anomalies of precipitation, relative humidity and soil mositure for summer:1950 - 2023 . Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.4 Fall

5.4.1 Mean temperature and VPD

5.4.1.1 Spatial trends

Figure 21: Spatial trends of the anomalies of mean temperature and VPD for fall:1950 - 2023 .The black dot indicates grids with significant trends. Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.4.1.2 Time-series trends

Figure 22: Trend in spatially averaged anomalies of mean temperature and VPD for fall:1950 - 2023 . Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.4.2 Precipitation, relative humidity and soil moisture

5.4.2.1 Spatial trends

Figure 23: Spatial trends of the anomalies of precipitation, relative humidity, and soil mositure for fall:1950 - 2023 .The black dot indicates grids with significant trends. Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.4.2.2 Time-series trends

Figure 24: Trend in spatially averaged anomalies of precipitation, relative humidity and soil mositure for fall:1950 - 2023 . Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.5 Annual

5.5.1 Mean temperature and VPD

5.5.1.1 Spatial trends

Figure 25: Spatial trends of the anomalies of mean temperature and VPD for annual:1950 - 2023 .The black dot indicates grids with significant trends. Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.5.1.2 Time-series trends

Figure 26: Trend in spatially averaged anomalies of mean temperature and VPD for annual:1950 - 2023 . Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.5.2 Precipitation, relative humidity and soil moisture

5.5.2.1 Spatial trends

Figure 27: Spatial trends of the anomalies of precipitation, relative humidity, and soil mositure for annual:1950 - 2023 .The black dot indicates grids with significant trends. Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

5.5.2.2 Time-series trends

Figure 28: Trend in spatially averaged anomalies of precipitation, relative humidity and soil mositure for annual:1950 - 2023 . Anomalies are calcuated relative to 1981-2010 climatology.

This report compliment the BC climate anomaly app . Should you have any questions, please contact Aseem Sharma .